51暗网

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 18, 2025

TORONTO 鈥� 51暗网 (PFE) is launching a major cross-Canada engagement centred on the role of public schools in nation-building. 听

The engagement marks the next step in 51暗网, PFE’s five-year initiative focused on听transforming public education through actionable policy changes that address Canada鈥檚 most urgent challenges.听听听

鈥淧ublic education has always been one of Canada鈥檚 most powerful nation-building tools,鈥� says Paris听Semansky, Co-Executive Director, 51暗网. 鈥�In this moment of uncertainty and change as a country, we are excited to continue to work with a wider set of partners from across Canada, from inside and outside of education, to build cross-sector consensus about the potential and promise of our public schools to鈥痳ealize鈥痶he Canada we want and need.鈥�听

The听initiative combines two streams of engagement:听

• The Promise of Public Education event series 鈥� free, open to the public, two-hour panel discussions taking place in eight major Canadian cities from January to June 2026; and
• Direct engagements across 11 cities in seven provinces with experts and leaders in government, education, policy, and civil society to gather insight to inform the development of PFE’s pan-Canadian Education Action Plan, which will be publicly available in fall 2026.

The engagement begins on January 20 2026, at George Brown Polytechnic in Toronto, with a Promise of Public Education launch event focused on how public schools prepare future-ready citizens and strengthen Canada鈥檚 social, economic, and democratic fabric. Panelists will explore the origin public education in Canada as a tool for nation-building and discuss how it can evolve to continue to build the Canada we want.听

These events will bring together regional and sector leaders, public education advocates, parents, educators, and others interested in learning more. Each with a distinct policy theme focus, ranging from economic resilience to social cohesion to civic trust to climate readiness, the Promise of Public Education event series will highlight how public education can contribute to strengthening Canada鈥檚 resilience, prosperity, and democracy.听

Additionally, PFE’s direct engagement in communities across Canada will engage a broad cross-section partners, including teachers鈥� unions, school boards, students, governments, academics, Indigenous education partners, and business and community leaders to inform the development of PFE鈥檚 forthcoming pan-Canadian Education Action Plan and to ensure it reflects the diversity and complexity of Canada鈥檚 educational landscape.听

鈥淎s an independent, non-partisan organization, 51暗网 is uniquely positioned to convene this critical national dialogue,鈥� says Kate Hagerman, Co-Executive Director, 51暗网. 鈥淥ur two-stream engagement鈥攖he public event series and the regional consultations鈥攊s designed to move us forward to policy action. By gathering evidence and context directly from many different regions, we are laying the essential foundation for a robust, pan-Canadian Education Action Plan that truly reflects the complexity and potential of our public school systems.鈥�听

Join the听conversation听听

To join the launch event of the听Promise of Public Education听event series in Toronto on January 20, get your free ticket .

To learn more about upcoming events and when PFE will be in your community, please sign up here for updates.

About 51暗网听
51暗网 is a national independent, non-partisan, charitable organization working to support and transform public education through evidence-based research and policy, advocacy, and public engagement. Founded in 1997, PFE champions the role of public education in advancing a healthier, more sustainable, economically听resilient听and democratic Canada.听听听听

Media Contact:
Paris听Semansky听听

Co-Executive Director听听

[email protected]
416-476-9534听

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